When your dog is still a pup and has not developed the skills needed for basic obedience, it can be very difficult to teach a dog how to open a door. A door can be considered an essential tool in the house. In order for a dog to relieve himself or herself, he or she must be able to go to the bathroom outside. An even larger necessity is for the dog to be able to get in and out of the house. It is crucial that dogs learn how to use doors properly in order to meet these needs.
Dogs that have not been trained to use the bathroom appropriately may find it very difficult to “go potty” outside. They may choose to do their business in one place, then they may want to defecate somewhere else. Trying to teach them the right way to relieve themselves, or potty, can be very challenging. However, it does not have to be. There are some dog training tricks that you can try to teach your dog when you want to teach him or her how to open a door.
First, you should make sure that any doors you have around the house are latched correctly. Your dog will need to know how to use the latch on the door to gain access to the outside. This is often called the doggie door. Make sure that all your doors are latched properly, and that the dog will know how to use them before he or she gets outside.
Once you have matched all of your doors, it is time to consider how to teach a dog to open a door. One of the simplest dog training tricks you can try is to play “fetch”. Pretend that you have a treat in your hand. Open the door for your dog, and then hopefully the dog will follow you outside.
Another dog training tricks that you can try is “down”. When your dog starts down the street, stand there and refuse to move until your dog has come to the end of the street. The dog must follow you. If the dog does not follow you, say “no” and lead him back to the dog house. Once the dog has returned to the dog house praise your dog.
It is important to train your dog to do this without making him go to the dog house. Place treats around your yard that you can give to your dog if he goes inside the house. After he goes inside give him his treats and praise him. Eventually your dog will get the idea that if he goes inside the house he will get a treat. You can even use a radio that you plug into an ear bud while you are outside to train your dog.
Other dog training tricks include “sit” and “come”. These are just basic commands that will have to be taught one at a time. Start by putting your dog on a leash and walk in the opposite direction. Your dog should sit calmly and wait for you to make eye contact. Once you have given your dog the command to sit, he should stand still.
Once he has sat still, offer him his treats and say “sit.” If your dog tries to jump ahead of you, stop him and say “no.” Praise him again and let him know that he is being nice. If he doesn’t listen, then you can lead him to the door and say “go,” and he will go in after you. Keep doing this and soon you will have trained your dog to the “open door” routine.
